Sometimes You're Wrong
by Mysteria
Summary: Tag to Worst Nightmare. Tim has some unresolved feelings about the Mason capture and Gibbs is going to hear them whether he likes it or not.


Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of them.

Spoilers: 8x02, Worst Nightmare

So it's been quite some time since I've written any fanfic for any fandom. This is my first for NCIS, hopefully it's decent. I was just perturbed after the episode ended; the scene where they caught Mason did not sit well with me. I thought Gibbs was way too unbothered by him choking McGee and kicking Ziva, but what bothered me more was there was no follow up, nothing, no asking if either was okay or Abby finding out and freaking out. It just seemed odd for the way the show has been written all along.

"So what do you say Ziva? Grab some drinks, celebrate another case solved." Tony questioned as he powered down his computer and shoved some papers away into a drawer.

Ziva smirked before responding, "You would ask that even if there had been no case."

Tony looked thoughtful, "Doesn't mean I still don't want to. Really let's make it a group thing, where's probie?"

"Looks like he left already" Gibbs stated while coming round the corner.

"Ah, yes boss, I see that." He waited for a smart retort but Gibbs just shook his head and headed for the elevator.

Tony turned back to Ziva, "You think Abby's still here?"

Gibbs made his way out towards the parking lot and to his car. He'd been about to get into it when he spotted a figure sitting on the backside of a car further down the lot. He squinted looking ahead and once he was sure he knew the figure began to move forth. He was perplexed as to why the young man would be sitting on his car, especially since a light rain had started to fall. Timothy McGee didn't even realize someone had walked up on him until he received a light cuff to the back of the head.

"What are you doing McGee? It's raining."

"I hadn't noticed boss." He mumbled in response. Several moments passed before Gibbs spoke again.

"McGee? Again, what are you doing out here?" He questioned.

"Thinking." Gibbs groaned, these short answered were telling him nothing.

"McGee!" Tim finally looked towards him and he didn't like what he saw, Tim looked lost, maybe even hurt, and for the life of him he couldn't understand why, the case had ended well, the kid hadn't died. "Am I missing something here?"

"Yeah boss, maybe you are." Tim finally snapped as he slid off the car, he almost looked pleased with the fact that he snapped at him. Tim let out a low chuckle as he yanked a jacket out of the backseat and pulled it on. "Do you care if anything happens to me?"

Gibbs didn't know where this was coming from or where it was going just that it was starting to piss him off. "What the hell does that mean McGee? Of course I do."

Tim wandered around the back of the car while ranting, "You got a funny way of showing it then, or maybe you're just full of shit. I mean, if I saw you nearly get strangled I would treat it with some seriousness, and maybe, oh, I don't know, ask if you were okay afterwards."

Gibbs let an eye roll slip through which only angered Tim more, "You were hardly strangled McGee."

"Oh right I forgot if it's not Dinozzo getting his ass handed to him then it's not serious." Tim rolled his eyes. He went to say more but Gibbs cut him off.

"What the hell is your problem Tim? Seriously, you're sitting here bitching me out for not coddling you like a baby. You are not making much sense here." Time seemed to be moving far too slow and the rain had begun to fall harder and the conversation was going nowhere.

"Right boss, I don't make sense. You do realize at that point we didn't what was going on fully, just that Mason was a murder; you come into the room… Ziva's on the floor and I'm being strangled by the bastard and all you do is act if you've just heard a five year old whine for the millionth time that it wants it cookie, Stop it. That's all you said, no concern for either one of us the bastard attacked. So sorry boss, you're the one who's not making any god damn sense." By the end of his tirade he'd been yelling which even seemed to surprise him. He shook his head hard, the droplets smacking Gibbs in the face as he let out another chuckle while he walked around the car yet again. "What boss, nothing to say now?" He questioned in a lower voice.

Gibbs let out a loud sigh, "I didn't think it was that big of an issue, I was literally right behind you, you weren't in any mortal danger." Though as soon as the words left his mouth he knew Tim disagreed.

Tim had put himself back up on the backside of the car. The rain was finally starting to slow back down and he stared up at the sky several moments before responding. "And therein lays the problem boss. The only thing that was going through my head at that moment was the shape we found the others in and now his arm is around… my neck." He gulped before continuing, "All I was thinking was he was either going to choke the life out of me or hell maybe even snap my neck, either way the end result would be I was dead. And sure I knew you were behind me, but I expected you bust in and be pissed, upset, concerned, since you know you always are with everyone else when they end up in peril, need I remind you of your responses to Ari's attempts on everyone or Abby's ex?" Tim looked down when he said that, he knew it was a low blow but he wanted to make sure his point got across otherwise this was all for nothing.

Neither spoke for awhile. Eventually Gibbs cleared his throat and opened his mouth, but nothing came out on the first try. He sighed, "Tim, earlier this year I had a conversation with someone and I learned a new and apparently important rule out of it."

"Oh. What's that?" Tim asked with a perplexed look.

"Sometimes you're wrong."

"And you can admit that?" Tim snorted. *thwack* "Sorry boss."

"Yes, I'm learning that I can, and sometimes I have actually have to. Your making me break one of my most used rules here, you better enjoy it. I'm sorry. I saw the situation an entirely different way then you did and I should have realized that but do not think for a minute that I could care less what happens to or with you, or that I care more about the others. It's not true, no matter how it seems, I'm sure you've figured out I'm not exactly an open person." Gibbs just hoped Tim could believe him, he truly would be just as devastated if something happened Tim as any other member of the team, just some he was better at showing that to.

"Really?" Tim whispered in response. Another light cuff to the head followed.

"Yes McGee, really. Now how about you actually get in your car and go home and relax." Gibbs responded with a shake of his head. Tim was about to say something in return when another voice floated over.

"I swear on everything in this world Palmer if you keep thanking me for including you for drinks I will un-invite your gremlin ass. You hear me?" Dinozzo was yelling in a fake angry tone. At that point Gibbs let out a chuckle and head back towards his car. "Oh hey boss, what are you—oh hey probie your still here too. Yes. Want to come with us for drinks?" Gibbs waited to hear Tim's answer.

"Uh, yeah sure, since I already know if I say no you'll cry about it for weeks." Tim replied with a smirked. Ziva snickered aloud and if looks could have killed Tony would have sliced and diced her.

"I would not cry over your absence probie." Tony said very pointedly before storming off to his car.

"Aw, I think I touched a nerve." Tim let out a laugh and started following, Abby grabbing an arm as his as he walked.

"You okay Tim, you look upset?" She questioned.

He stopped for a moment with a thoughtful look. "I was, I'm better now."

"You sure?"

"Definitely, now let's go get that drink." He held the door for her as she squished into Tony's backseat, and then he followed, smiling as he shut the door. Gibbs smiled to himself as well and finally pulled the car door shut.


End file.
